Negotiations for Armenia’s associate membership in the EU started on July 19. An associate membership agreement will reflect close ties between Armenia and the EU and their common values, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Karine Ghazinyan stated a press conference held jointly with Gunnar Wiegand, Head of the EU Unit for negotiations with Armenia.

Foreign policy, security, democracy, economic, human rights and energy issues will be incorporated in the agreement. The agreement is designed to deepen Armenia’s political association with the EU and promote economic integration to harmonize Armenian market with European standards and laws.

Under the RA President’s decree of July 15, three task groups for Armenia’s associate membership in the EU were formed. RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is Head of the Armenian group. The negotiations will be conducted at plenary sessions and within task group, Ghazinyan said.

The sides will negotiate four issues: a political dialogue and reforms; cooperation in security and foreign policy; economic and financial cooperation; trade and cooperation in organization.

An agreement has been reached on negotiations with three groups. The first group will conduct negotiations for foreign policy cooperation and cooperation in external security. The second group will deals with issues of security, justice and freedoms. The third group will discuss economic, financial and cultural cooperation, Ghazinyan said. The negotiations have got under way, with the second stage to begin in Brussels.

Mr. Gunnar Wiegand pointed out that 12 subjects will be negotiated, and the task groups will met every 8-10 weeks in Yerevan and Brussels. From the third week of September on the task groups will hold weekly video conferences.